Uber 'panic button' to be available in Chicago

Uber is bringing its 'panic button' feature to Chicago in the wake of recent assault accusations against two Uber drivers in the city.

Uber is bringing its 'panic button' feature to Chicago in the wake of recent assault accusations against two Uber drivers in the city. (Eric Risberg / AP)

Chicago Uber riders to get 'panic button' on app

Uber plans to roll out a panic button feature in Chicago, which allows riders to notify the police in case of an emergency, the Sun-Times reported.

Uber last week announced that it will roll out panic buttons in India and another “safety net” feature after a passenger said she had been raped by a driver.

In Chicago, two Uber drivers were accused of sexually assaulting passengers in late December and early January. The charges came amid growing scrutiny about the driver screening process for ride-hailing companies.

Uber said it is also creating a local team that will respond to reports by riders and will get a notification when the panic button is pressed.

The safety feature allows riders to share trip details and their location with as many as five other people.

Uber, valued at $40 billion, lets passengers summon cars through an app in more than 250 cities around the world. It faces multiples legal and regulatory challenges as it expands in the United States and abroad.

The Chicago app will be equipped with the panic button in the next several months, according to the Sun-Times.